


i am alright

by habitsayss



Series: i can't drown my demons, they know how to swim. [1]
Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Short Zim (Invader Zim), Zim is sad, change my mind, hes barely bigger than a house cat man, keef is a good boyfriend, seriouslt hes so fucking tiny, theyre in their 20s stop clutching your pearls, vague backstory, well keef is, zim is a cuddlebug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2019-12-29
Packaged: 2021-02-25 06:15:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22011364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/habitsayss/pseuds/habitsayss
Summary: "i am alright" says zim, while being almost inexplicably not alright.
Relationships: Keef/Zim (Invader Zim)
Series: i can't drown my demons, they know how to swim. [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1584409
Comments: 2
Kudos: 36





	i am alright

"Zim? I'm home!" Keef called into the house, a brown shopping bag cradled in his arms. He blinked for a moment, finally processing that he received no response from his boyfriend, who would usually at least scream something back at him. Frowning in confusion, Keef set down the bag and removed his coat and scarf, eyes darting around the room. It was only when he was left in a white tank top and jeans that he felt something launch onto his back, nearly knocking him off his feet. 

After the initial panic subsided and Keef had regained his balance, he made quick work of prying Zim from his back and holding him up by his collar, earning a frown from the Irken for disrupting his routine kneading his claws into Keef's skin. 

"Zim will not apologize." He said without being prompted, a deadpan expression on his face. Keef frowned back at him, resisting the urge to kiss said face. 

The staring match lasted little more than a few seconds, Keef quickly giving in with a sigh and cradling Zim in his arms. "You scared me, babe." He lamented, pressing a kiss to the Irken's forehead. "I thought something happened to you."

"Nonsense." Zim mumbled back, lazily feigning a scowl. "Zim would never let that happen." 

Keef chuckled. "I know you wouldn't." He moved over towards the couch, holding Zim close to his chest as he gently scratched behind his antennae. He sat down and for a moment shut his eyes, just to take in the sensation of Zim's little claws clutching the fabric of his shirt, the sound of contented purring, the warm feeling spreading throughout his chest as Zim lowered his antennae to make contact with Keef's ginger locks, and the dreamlike sigh that followed. It all felt so overwhelming, but at the same time it felt so _right_. For a moment the thought crossed him and he mumbled it aloud, _"Is this what heaven feels like?"_ Keef didn't even realize Zim had heard him until the purring had stopped and the Irken was no longer nuzzling against his chest. 

"What is heaven?" Zim asked, now upright in Keef's lap. 

Keef's heart skipped a beat at those wide, innocent eyes that stared up at him, and for a moment he wondered if Zim was bluffing, because there's no way he isn't an angel. 

"Keef?-"

"I love you so damn much." He blurted out, unable to stop his ears from turning bright red as he bit his lip and looked away. 

Zim fell silent, his own face flushing a dark green. He swallowed his nerves and wrapped his arms around Keef's midsection, softly purring for him. "Zim... Zim loves you too..." He whispered, just barely loud enough for Keef to hear. "Keef-mate is sometimes overbearing and loud, but is always there for Zim, a-and..-" Zim's breath hitched, clearly not used to expressing his feelings verbally. "... And Zim doesn't want Keef-mate to leave him..." 

"... Zim?"

"Tell me next time you leave, okay? I was scared... I thought you weren't coming back..." He gripped Keef's shirt tighter, tears forming in the corners of his eyes. "Don't leave Zim anymore, okay? Just... Don't- Don't leave Zim..."

The second a tear fell, Keef clutched Zim close to his chest, kissing him all over. "Shh, hey, it's okay.. Please don't cry Zim, I'm so sorry I left without telling you, I promise I'll never leave you, Zim..." He mumbled on and on, doing whatever he could to calm him. His heart clenched to know that he made Zim worry so badly, and another part of him seethed at the thought that something could have made Zim _this_ afraid of being abandoned. That something, someone, could even fathom the idea of hurting his precious Zim. 

Without realizing it, Zim had choked out a sob. "P-Please don't leave Zim again... I don't want to be alone... I don't want it to happen to me too... I don't want to be taken away from Keef-mate... Zim wants to stay here! Zim doesn't want to be taken too!" He broke into hysterics, desperately grabbing at Keef as he sputtered nonsense. It almost sounded like some sort of nervous breakdown. 

In a slight spur of panic, Keef hugged Zim tighter and rubbed his back, whispering "It's okay, you're safe, I'm right here," over and over again until the Irken seemed to calm a little, smushing his face against Keef's chest as some kind of refuge while he calmed himself, focusing on the sound of the human's heartbeat until he eventually drifted off to sleep. 


End file.
